Careers & Conversations

Meet Aleesha Bailey - Strategic Outsourcing Lead

Aleesha Bailey leads the firm’s Strategic Outsourcing services. Based in RSM’s Sydney office, Aleesha has worked with numbers virtually all her life. With significant experience advising SME and listed clients, both nationally and internally, on complex issues of financial administration including mentoring and assisting in-house finance teams through strategic outsourcing services.

Aleesha works with her clients to help streamline internal processes, focussing on implementing new accounting and operational systems, management accounting and reporting, and budget/forecasting projections. Overseeing a team of multi-disciplinary outsourcing specialists, Aleesha has a specific focus on efficiency through automation and technology. Aleesha was previously at William Buck in Business Advisory and Mazars Business Advisory & Accounting and Outsourcing Services in Australia and UK.

WHAT IS YOUR ROLE AT RSM?

My role is to create processes and implement best of class technology for our outsourcing service line. Ensuring our teams efficiently handle the day to day core accounting functions for our clients in order to be an integrated part of their business. The key focus is to provide key stakeholders with more regular financial and non-financial analysis and reporting.

WHAT TYPE OF COMPANIES WOULD BEST BE SUITED TO OUTSOURCE THEIR CFO FUNCTION?

All sizes and life cycle phases, we are able to assist small businesses/startups unable to afford a full-time bookkeeper. Larger clients with an internal accounting team our Partners can sit on the board as an external adviser. Our outsourcing services can be tailored to meet every client’s needs be it fully outsourcing their core accounting function or requiring high-level business strategic advice. This is possible due to our extensive service line offerings; bookkeeping, accounts and tax compliance, tax planning and structuring, risk management, assurance, and R&D.

YOU’VE WORKED IN THE UK. WHAT WAS LIVING IN LONDON LIKE?

Luckily the secondment was during summer months, otherwise, my answer may be different. It was amazing! I was surprised at how similar it was working in the accounting industry on the other side of the world. I was also surprised at how ahead of the world Australia was in terms of the cloud-based accounting and operational technology is available to the market. I was teaching many of the staff about cloud-based accounting and reporting platforms while I was over there. Also, I have to mention the travel, almost every Friday I had my bags packed to explore a new country, it was an incredible opportunity that I am very thankful for.

TELL US SOMETHING WE DON’T KNOW ABOUT YOU...YET.

After my typical first job at Hungry Jacks, I worked in the family business from the age of 17 in their mechanic shops. I worked in every position possible, bookkeeper, manager and even out the back, fitting and balancing tyres. Surprisingly I feel like this is where I got the understanding and importance of all operational and financial components of a business. This has now become my passion, this experience allows me to assist our clients to drive their business from a multifaceted approach. To this day I still assist my father selling stores, hiring staff, expanding stores, managing cash flow and implementing new systems.